Pentagon Watchdog Slams Prewar Intel

Investigation Finds Efforts To Link Al Qaeda And Iraq Were Inappropriate — But Legal

(CBS/AP)  Pentagon officials undercut the intelligence community in the run-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq by insisting in briefings to the White House that there was a clear relationship between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda, the Defense Department's inspector general said Friday.

Acting Inspector General Thomas F. Gimble told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the office headed by former Pentagon policy chief Douglas J. Feith took "inappropriate" actions in advancing conclusions on al Qaeda connections not backed up by the nation's intelligence agencies.

The briefing called the relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda "mature" and "symbiotic," while the CIA called it "murky," reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin. The small Pentagon intelligence office presented the information because it was convinced the CIA was doing shoddy work in the months before the war.

Gimble said that while the actions of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy "were not illegal or unauthorized," they "did not provide the most accurate analysis of intelligence to senior decision makers" at a time when the White House was moving toward war with Iraq.

"I can't think of a more devastating commentary," said Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.

He cited Gimble's findings that Feith's office was, despite doubts expressed by the intelligence community, pushing conclusions that Sept. 11 hijacker Mohammed Atta had met an Iraqi intelligence officer in Prague five months before the attack, and that there were "multiple areas of cooperation" between Iraq and al Qaeda, including shared pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.

"That was the argument that was used to make the sale to the American people about the need to go to war," Levin said in an interview Thursday. He said the Pentagon's work, "which was wrong, which was distorted, which was inappropriate ... is something which is highly disturbing."

Republicans on the panel disagreed. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., said the "probing questions" raised by Feith's policy group improved the intelligence process.

"I'm trying to figure out why we are here," said Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., saying the office was doing its job of analyzing intelligence that had been gathered by the CIA and other intelligence agencies.

Gimble responded that at issue was that the information supplied by Feith's office in briefings to the National Security Council and the office of Vice President Dick Cheney was "provided without caveats" that there were varying opinions on its reliability.

Gimble's report said Feith's office had made assertions "that were inconsistent with the consensus of the intelligence community."

Responding to the report, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said, "The president has long acknowledged that intelligence leading up to the war in the Iraq was inaccurate. And he has taken dramatic actions in order to revamp the intel community."

Asked if the president feels ill-served by subordinates who manipulated intelligence on which he based decisions and took the U.S. to war, Perino said the president takes responsibility and has taken steps to make sure that bad intelligence doesn't happen again, CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller reports.

Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman denied that the office was producing its own intelligence products, saying they were challenging what was coming in from intelligence-gathering professionals, "looking at it with a critical eye."

Some Democrats also have contended that Feith misled Congress about the basis of the administration's assertions on the threat posed by Iraq, but the Pentagon investigation did not support that.

In a telephone interview Thursday, Levin said the IG report is "very damning" and shows a Pentagon policy shop trying to shape intelligence to prove a link between al Qaeda and Saddam.

In September 2005, Levin had asked the inspector general to determine whether Feith's office's activities were appropriate, and if not, what remedies should be pursued.

The 2004 report from the Sept. 11 commission found no evidence of a collaborative relationship between Saddam and Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terror organization before the U.S. invasion.

Asked to comment on the IG's findings, Feith said in a telephone interview that he had not seen the report but was pleased to hear that it concluded his office's activities were neither illegal nor unauthorized. He took strong issue, however, with the finding that some activities had been "inappropriate."

"The policy office has been smeared for years by allegations that its pre-Iraq-war work was somehow 'unlawful' or 'unauthorized' and that some information it gave to congressional committees was deceptive or misleading," said Feith, who left his Pentagon post in August 2005.

Feith called "bizarre" the inspector general's conclusion that some intelligence activities by the Office of Special Plans, which was created while Feith served as the undersecretary of defense for policy — the top policy position under then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld — were inappropriate but not unauthorized.

"Clearly, the inspector general's office was willing to challenge the policy office and even stretch some points to be able to criticize it," Feith said, adding that he felt it was subjective "quibbling." Feith maintains that the policy office and other, smaller groups created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks proved prudent and useful in challenging some of the CIA's analysis.

[inventagod]

Fascism is alive and well in America.

...a political philosophy, movement, or regime ...that exalts nation ...above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader...

[gdmoore2]

Outside of Washington, and in most families, "purposely manipulated" is called "lying." Could it be time for a special prosecutor?

[bm6005]

Feith is personally responsible for the deaths of 3100+ men and women by his amateurish and highly questionable actions during the run up to the Iraq war. He should be tried for treason!!

[reel-crazy]

The key word here is this....

INTELLIGENCE

Government Intelligence has always been an....

OXYMORON

[nvme3]

It is interesting to see how the military arm of the executive branch came to the conclusion, that although the intelligence was misleading it was not illegal.
another distraction from the more serious issue of anna nicole smith's death.

[tuckerndfw]

Really?

I wonder if it is related to the fact his big oil and war profiteering cronies made billions of dollars as a direct result of those lies?

And, it appears they will keep raking it in for years to come. Unless voters come to their senses and demand they be prosecuted for their crimes.

[gentryfunk-2009]

At least someone at some level is criticizing invented intelligence. As academic historians and political scientists can tell you now and could have told you then, Saddham Hussein was absolutely opposed to Al Qaeda and jailed its members in Iraq. In 2002, CIA intelligence said exactly the same thing. Hussein's Iraq and Al Qaeda worked for completely different purposes. Hussein maintained a western allied and connected Muslim state. Al Qaeda wanted and wants the opposite: a Muslim state cut off from the west (remember the Taliban? Oh wait, they are still around...)

It is time to bring criminal charges against members of this administration that invented intelligence and drove us to war.

[migrainegram]

Outside of Washington, and in most families, "purposely manipulated" is called "lying." Could it be time for a special prosecutor?
Posted by gdmoore2 at 09:21 AM : Feb 09, 2007


One can only hope. This whole thing is truly pathetic, and I wouldn't be surprised if a "major cover-up" were unearthed. Unfortunately, King George will have been kicked off his throne by then.

[edjohn66]

These Right-wing %$!@^(!!s have not only made war upon Iraq, they have also made war on the very fabric of our society. How is democracy supposed to survive when the rich and powerful work so hard to manipulate and undermine it?

These are some of the saddest and darkest days in our country's history. And its all the fault of the hate-mongering, flag-waving, manipulative false patriots that make up the Radical Right.

When our nation finally recovers from this, we'll look back on this in the same way we now view the Red Scares, the Indian Wars, the Japanese internment camps, Vietnam, slavery, and every other dark time in our history.

I remain optamistic that we WILL recover, but its pretty hard to maintain such optamism....

[antoniof123]

Could it be time to start the real investigations like congress holding some real hearing like they did with Nixon and Agnew. I am tired of hearing these little leaks I want to know the truth. I did not want to go to war with Iraq and was over ruled so now I want others to see why the rest of the world was not wrong and we were mislead by this administration the worst in American history and probably the worst of all time even in the future.

[bm6005]

If you want to know the truth read "Hubris" & "Fiasco" but make sure you can handle the truth. The information is devastating!!

[huskerarmy]

"Outside of Washington, and in most families, "purposely manipulated" is called "lying.""

In the GOP, lying for the Lord is a virtue. This is God's war, and God wants it regardless of what the voters say.

[itchyb-2009]

Semantics. Data manipulated, untruths put forth as "evidence", and the hole gets deeper. The Republican house and senate lackeys never tried seriously to delve into or question King George. My guess, more sh*t will be dug up as the investigations go on. It is little comfort to those that have been killed or their families whether it was deemed by the IG as "not criminal". Dead is dead.

[lochlan-2009]

Every intelligent American already knew this.

This country's government are the criminals of this country. How do the people of the United States prosecute a criminal government? There are no processes in place for the people of this country to defend themselves from this elite crime ring.

[condumism]

GOPigs, the USA's regional FASCIST LYING Southerner's Party

[huskerarmy]

"The Republican house and senate lackeys never tried seriously to delve into or question King George."

Those of us on the left should not let the media off the hook either. They rolled over to the right wing echo chamber's "MSM liberal media bias" drum beat and gave this administration a free pass leading up to the war.

[dypandya]

I am not surprised to this report released! It was expected, since the rubber stamp Congress would never reveal the truth!

This is the height of deceit and irresponsibility that the Bush people have demonstrated and shows that this Administration WANTED to go into Iraq, whether is for "WMD" or the assassination attempt by Saddam on George I.

[lochlan-2009]

Wasn't it just a few years ago that the people who were pointing this out were balked at and called conspiracy theorists. Now we see the world isn't flat and the Earth does go around the sun. Oops maybe we shouldn't have burned those people at the stake.

[huskerarmy]

O.K. I'm still waiting for the first righty to post that this is just another example of MSM media bias and we should all be focusing on the real news being hyped on FOX:Anna Nicole Smith.

[docadams3]

Inventagod is right. More people should pay attention to this story. And it should be higher on the page than Anna Nicole's death. It's a disappointment. Some of what the neocons believe (as neo-Platonists) is unfortunately true. The masses are largely ignorant, and growing more so daily. Feeding them drivel about ***, food, and creature comforts will satisfy their vapid curiosities and keep them from causing trouble for those who rule. Republican democracy isn't in jeopardy in the U.S. It's been dead for a long time. Whoever 'Spengler' is at the Asia Times has the best understanding of who these guys are and what they believe.

[inventagod]

Corporate ultra right-wing traitors, coupled with the Republicon controlled media. PNAC all the way. Add to the mix, a Republicon controlled Congress, and our country went the way of the dinosaur. PNAC was far more than a Washingtoon think-tank. Every player in the regime has his roots in this fascist power-grubbing organization. Pentagoons provided the muscle, PNAC provided the brains.

[thefarmer77]

and people do not think this happens on both side of the parties? ... it is called politics ... the truth is always hazy!!!

[rsoxfan1123]

So the Bush administration manipulated intelligence to lead us into a war..imagine that. Who would've guessed? The only thing that truly surprises me is that they left enough evidence lying around to prove what liars they are. You'd think that bush and his cronies would be smart enough to cover their own tracks, but then again, maybe not.

[huskerarmy]

"Perino said the president takes responsibility and has taken steps to make sure that bad intelligence like this doesn't happen again"

In other words, he doesn't intend to do it again.

[huskerarmy]

"Perino said the president takes responsibility and has taken steps to make sure that bad intelligence like this doesn't happen again"

In other words, he doesn't intend to do it again.

[rsoxfan1123]

thefarmer77-I don't remember the Clinton administration getting 3200 American kids killed, God knows how many with arms and legs blown off, and well over $500 billion taxpayer dollars and counting for a bunch of lies. Get in touch with reality. Maybe God told Bush to lie to us?

[inventagod]

It's far bigger than Iraq. Cheney and Rumsfeld have been plotting together for decades. Do your homework, and you will find a neat little package that points to a world-domination plot at the core. And it worked - if you believe we can return to the way it was, you are dead wrong. PNAC plotters worked quietly on their plan while America slept. Such is the way of evil...

ps - 9/11 still smells like Cheney

[rsoxfan1123]

huskerarmy-he won't be in office that much longer. He couldn't do it again if he wanted to.

[huskerarmy]

"and people do not think this happens on both side of the parties? ... it is called politics ... the truth is always hazy!!!"

Oh... Well there's your justification right there Farmer.

[hotpoet]

Let me get this straight, the administration used faulty intelligence to prop up their argument for war in Iraq, lied to us repeatedly about the connection between Iraq and 9/11, spent nearly 400 billion tax dollars so far creating a dangerous situation/ civil war in Iraq, weakened our military, wasted the lives of more than 3,000 of America's young men and women-- countless Iraqi lives-- and none of this is illegal???????? Under whose definition?

[observantx]

%u201CThe investigation by acting inspector general Thomas F. Gimble found that prewar intelligence work at the Pentagon, including a contention that the CIA had underplayed the likelihood of an al Qaeda connection, was inappropriate but not illegal.%u201D

As for Mr. Gimble, to say that to deliberately mislead, no, let%u2019s call it like it is; to bald face LIE to our faces about why we had to invade Iraq is %u201Cnot illegal%u201D is disingenuous at the least. For our president and vice president to bring us to war based on this tissue of lies is outright criminal. It is false. It is dereliction of duty. Considering the lives lost in this false campaign; it is murder. Considering the betrayal of their oaths of office, in which our current residents of the White House swore to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help them God; it is TREASON.

In light of this report every single member of Congress, no matter their party, needs to take away the power and money the executive branch to conduct this war. They must impeach them, they must remove them from office, they must arrest them, and they must try the president, vice-president and any other cabinet member, staffer or aide that had anything to do with aiding and abetting the murders of our sons and daughters for their personal gain and ambition.

No more binding resolution **** covering! Congress, DO YOUR DUTY!

[hotpoet]

Let me get this straight, the administration used faulty intelligence to prop up their argument for war in Iraq, lied to us repeatedly about the connection between Iraq and 9/11, spent nearly 400 billion tax dollars so far creating a dangerous situation/ civil war in Iraq, weakened our military, wasted the lives of more than 3,000 of America's young men and women-- countless Iraqi lives-- and none of this is illegal???????? Under whose definition?

[bigwhtpony]

You guys ar e going to feel awfully silly when you realize that these were all left over Clinton cronies......Bush hadn't made any changes by then - except at the extreme highest (Cabinet) levels.

[hotpoet]

IMPEACH NOW

[ademeyer]

Ok, I've read this article three times and I'm still confused. THe article says Levin feels its a "damning" report and Feith says its a vindication of his office. Is life just too complex to assign blame, or is the administration just too powerful to be held accountable for deliberate deception? I'd like to be objective and fair, but frankly I'm going to fall back on my prejudices and assume the neo-cons cooked the intel to support invading Iraq for their own reasons. If anyone else can show me where the facts contradict that assumption, feel free to point them out to me.

[huskerarmy]

"if you believe we can return to the way it was, you are dead wrong."

Indeed... I think that even our allies are going to think twice before trusting what we say again. It's going to be a long while before we can once again claim to be the moral leader of the free world and be taken seriously on the world stage. The irony is that the very ones who proclaim not to care what the rest of the world thinks, are the ones whose pretense is a desire to lead them to "democracy."

[huskerarmy]

"if you believe we can return to the way it was, you are dead wrong."

Indeed... I think that even our allies are going to think twice before trusting what we say again. It's going to be a long while before we can once again claim to be the moral leader of the free world and be taken seriously on the world stage. The irony is that the very ones who proclaim not to care what the rest of the world thinks, are the ones whose pretense is a desire to lead them to "democracy."

[docadams3]

bigwhtpony needs to do some reading and check his facts.

By the way, hasn't anyone connected the dots? We lost $12 billion that went missing. That buys a lot of Iranian-made IEDs for insurgents.

At what point does incompetence become criminal?

[huskerarmy]

"if you believe we can return to the way it was, you are dead wrong."

Indeed... I think that even our allies are going to think twice before trusting what we say again. It's going to be a long while before we can once again claim to be the moral leader of the free world and be taken seriously on the world stage. The irony is that the very ones who proclaim not to care what the rest of the world thinks, are the ones whose pretense is a desire to lead them to "democracy."

[pwrslm]

I am disinclined to support this article.

Omissions can be used to manipulate information far easier than and expression of the whole truth.

[crater7]

IN THE BUSINESS WORLD, THIS WOULD BE CALLED COOKING THE BOOKS. THE CEO, AND OF COURSE ALL THE STAFF WHO CREATED THIS INFO, WOULD ALL BE FIRED, THEN PROSECUTED. ENRON, COME TO MIND?
BUT, FOR A PRESIDENT OF THE USA, AND ALL THE KINGS MEN,WOMEN, TO USE KNOWN FALSE INTEL., START A WAR BASED ON THIS INTEL. IS NOTHING LESS THAN CRIMINAL.IF THIS IS TRUE, THE WHOLE COUNTRY, SHOULD BE CONCERNED TO SAY THE LEAST.

[ezillyamused]

We are surprised by this how? Did no one notice that every time Bush came up with an excuse to go to war, the American people would respond with,"That's really bad, but not enough to go to war", he would come up with something worse the next day! Bush not knowing what was going on is as much of a load as the "intelligence" is. As Bush is so fond of pointing out, he's in charge, he makes the decisions, he is THE MAN!
As for blaming Clinton for this mess, just remember than when you point a finger at someone, you've got three pointing right back at you!!!

[briannorwood]

This makes me want to puke!

[observantx]

You guys ar e going to feel awfully silly when you realize that these were all left over Clinton cronies......Bush hadn't made any changes by then - except at the extreme highest (Cabinet) levels. - bgwhtpony

God, you are sooo cluless.

There were NO Clinton holdovers. Little George & the rest of them practically burned sulfur in every room and called in exorcists when they moved in.

Considering the putruid mess they have created, we'll have to do that for sure when they finally clear out. Let's hope it is in cuffs.

[tuckerndfw]

What really surprises me is that there is anyone who did not know that George Bush lied about the intelligence.

It has been consistently reported in the media under banner headlines that typically read, "SURRENDER MONKEYS WANT US TO LOSE IN IRAQ" or something equivalent.

I have known George Bush was lying since the day he proclaimed "al qaida did it" within hours of the attacks on the WTC's on 9/11/01.

Either he knew they were going to attack, he is a liar, or he is the greatest detective who ever lived. He solved that case nearly as fast as they do on those tv shows.

He is a liar seemed the most realistic choice. Although he also probably knew they were going to attack and chose to do nothing.

George Bush should be impeached and prosecuted.

[rharrin1]

FARMER

Go back to the barn and shovel your ********* there.

[bm6005]

The only left over Clinton appointee was George Tenet who quickly sucked up to the Chimp-in-Chief. Bigwhtmoron always can be depended on to get his facts wrong.

[rharrin1]

Al Capone would be jealous of this gang of hoods in Washington.

[bm6005]

It's time for Nuremberg II, the sequel!!!

[jn122736]

I posted this comment under another article, I am reposting it because I believe it is relevant here.

I hope that this report will lead to more intense investigations into the use of fraudulent claims and manipulating of intelligence data that got us into this Iraqi fiasco.

I have never understood why Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, took impeachment of the president off the table, before the new congress really got underway.
From everything I have seen and/or read about the actions of President Bush and this administration, especially since 911 and the inexplicable invasion of Iraq, no president has ever been more deserving of impeachment.

And now the president, whom I have never known to defend a democrat, comes to her defense in the attacks she is undergoing about her alleged request for a larger military plane to use in her travels.

Is this quid pro quo? What does this say to the voters who thought they were voting for justice as well as for change?